Automatic crayon-holder



(No Model.)

C. ANDREW.

`AUTOMATIG CRAYON HOLDER.

Patented Apr. 17,1883.

. IXIIIIIIII PATENT Orrrce.

CHARLES ANDREW, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC CRAYON-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming' part 0f Letters Patent No. 276,128, dated April17, 1883,

Application filed June 19, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom 15mm/concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES ANDREW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Crayon-Holders, of' which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of pencils or crayon-holders in whichthe clamping-jaws are actuated to close upon and. retain the lead orcrayon by the movement ofthe crayon-holding tube within a sheath, andare allowed to spring apart and release the crayon by a contrarymovement. i

As ordinarily constructed and used, one form or style of such crayon-holder consists essentially of a hollow containing case, usually ofwood, forming the body of the pencil, within which a tube containing thecrayon has a longitudinal movement. The crayon-tube is split at the endto form two jaws, which are somewhat expanded near their extremities toform a taper, which is suddenly contracted at the ends to form a holdingor clamping edge when compressed against the crayon. The contraction orforcing together 0f the taper jaws is effected by withdrawing thecrayontube within its sheath, the containing-case acting upon the taperexpansion of thejaws as a ca m. The outward movementis effected bypressure of the linger against the projecting end ofthe crayon-tube,which is provided with a suitable cap and a spiral spring to return itto its proper normal position. The principal objection to the pencilthus constructed is that when thejaws are open to allow the crayon tomove forward there is nothing to prevent the crayon from passingentirely out of its containing-tube except the pencil be held near thetable or some other object and the eXit of the crayon prevented. rIhisobjection is more serious than might at first appear, and my inventionis directed to its removal, to which end it consists in combining withthe longitudinallymovable crayon-tube means for limiting its travel, andthereby regulating the degree of opening ofthe clamping-jaws, so asto'permit only the conical point of the pencil to protrude, and in theconstruction and arrangement of the particular means, hereinafter setforth, for this purpose.

accompanying and illustrating this specification,in which- Figures land2 are sectional views, showing the pencil with the crayon-tube in itsultimate positions, respectively-that is to say, with its terminalclamping-jaws retracted in one case and protruded in the other. largedsectional view, showing the relations of the sheath, clamping-jaws, andcrayon when in position for use. Fig. Aexhibits a modified constructionof the crayon-holder.

In the drawings, A designates the body or containing-case of the pencil;B, its terminal sheath; and C thcorayon-tube, terminatingin theclamping-jaws c c; D, a cap secured to the end ofthe crayon-tube andinclosing the spiral springs. These parts are constructed and operate inthe usual manner, and require no further description. My improvementsconsist in adding thereto and combining therewith means for limiting andregulating the forward thrust ofthe crayon-tube, so as to permit thejaws c c to separate when in ordinary use only far enough to allow thepoint of the pencil to protrude. The preferable device for this purposeconsists in the following construction I provide at the end of the bodyor containingcase A a i'errule, b, arranged to fit snugly within theterminal sheath B, and form for it a sliding bearing-surface, on whichthe sheath B may move forward a short distance, or as far' as may benecessary. The movement is regulated by means of a small stud orprotrusion, 1,0m theinner periphery of the sheath B, moving in a slot,e, of regulated length in the ferrule b.

It will be readily understood that the sheath B can move forward only sofar as allowed by the slot e, and by this movement of the sheath theprotrusion of the clamping-jaws through the same is relatively lessened,hence limiting the expansion of the latter. The movement of the shea-thB forward is effected by the outward pressure and consequent friction ofthe clamping-jaws, which, as the crayon tube is driven forward, carryforward the sheath B to the regulated limit of its travel. The end ofthe crayon a having been previously sharpened to a conical point, thesame is permitted to project beyond the jaws, as clearly exhiblllyinvention is embodied in the drawings ited in Fig. 3. Whenever it isdesired to pro- Fig. 3 is an en- ICO trude the crayon-tube C to the fulllimit ofits travel the sheath B may be held stationary and the tubeforced through, as usual, when the crayon may be removed or replaced inthe ordinary manner.

The modified means of limiting the movement of the crayon-tube C anditsjawsce with respect to the sheath B (shown in Fig. 4) consists inproviding a slot,f, in the cap D of the necessary length, and a pin orstud, g, in the containing-case A. The stud g, acting as a stop inconnection with the slotf, limits the protrusion of the jaws c throughthe sheath B and operates, as before described, upon the crayon. Bymaking a lateral odset and further extension ofthe slotf, as shown atf,the cap may be rotated to bring the pin or stud g opposite to theextension f, and the crayontube then may be forced to the utmost limitof its travel, so as to open the jaws for the removal or replacing ofthe crayon.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent 1. The combination, With an automatic crayon-holdcr such asdescribed, of means, substantially as described, for limiting. theprotrusion of the crayon-tube and regulating the dilation of theclamping-jaws so as to prevent the entire withdrawal ofthe crayon,substantially as set forth.

2. The combinatiolnwith an automatic crayon-holder such as described, ofmeans, substantially such as described, for automatically limiting theprotrusion of the crayon, but permitting the entire dilation of' theclampingjaws when required to remove or replace the crayon,substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the containing-case A, crayon-tube C, terminatingiu Vtaper jaws c c, and sheath B, provided with stud d, the ferrule b,provided with slot e, arranged and operating substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

. CHAS. ANDREW.

Witnesses L. M. HosEA, W. HOFFMAN.

